Skate



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. E. BRANNON sxm:

Filed Dec. 20, 1940 INVENTOR HERBERT E. BRANNON BY ATTORNEY on i h a E Oct. 6, 1942.

H. E. BRANNON- sxm:

Filed Dec go, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR u/M m Y 5 m T 0 awn A m Y B Patented Oct. 6, 1942 UNITED SIATES PAT ENT OFFICE SKATE Herbert E..Brannon, Detroit, Mich. Application December 20, 1940, Serial'No. 371,004"

7 Claims.

This invention relatesto skates, and more particularly to the mechanism for attaching a skate to the wearers foot.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a skate having novel mechanism for attaching the skate to the footofthe wearer which entirely eliminates the use of straps;

Another object of the invention is the provision of a skate having mechanism which automatically clamps the skate to the Wearers foot when the latter is placed on the skate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a skate having a novel toe clamp thereon.

A still further object is to provide a movable heel platewhich moves from an inclined position to a horizontal position when the skate is attached to the foot, the heel plate having means for releasably holding it in its horizontal position.

These objects will more fully' appear in the following specification when read in connection with th accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a skate embodying the invention, a portion of the sole plate being broken away to show the toe clamping mechanism in its operative position;

Figure 2' is a fragmentary plan View of the front portion of the skate shown in Figure 1 with the toe clamping mechanism in its released position;

Figure 3 is afragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken'on the line 4-4 of Figure 2';

Figure 5 is across-sectional view taken'on substantially the line 5-5- of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line Ii -fi of Figure 1 and showing theheel platein operative position;

Figure '7.is a cross-sectional view ofthe rear part of the skate and similar to Figure 6 but showing the heel plate in its released or inoperative position;

Figure 8'is a cross-sectional view taken on: substantially the line 88 of Figure 6; and

Figure 9 is' a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 9-9'oi Figure '7.

The skate in which the inventionisembodied comprises aframe II) which ismade up of two relatively adjustable sections, a. front section and a. rear section. The front section of the frame I0 is a one piece stamping consisting of a sole plate II having a turned down flange I2 extending about its front and sides. The flange on both sides thereof to provide extensions I3} These extensions are provided with longitudinally extending slots I4 and a pair of horizontal ribs I5.

The rear section of the frame is another onepiece sheet metal stamping. heel' plate support I6 having a downwardly extending flange I I thereon. The flange II projects forwardly to form a pair of extensions I8. The extensions I8 have slots therein which register with the slots I4 in'the extensions I3. The extensions I8 are provided with ribs I9 which cooperate with ribs I5 to keep the two sections properly aligned. The extensions I3 and [8 are held together by a pair of bolts 20 and wing nuts 2|.

The flange I2 on the front part It of theframe plate II by pins 21 which areprojection welded to the sole plate. Each of the links 26 has an elongated slot 28 therein adjacent its laterally inner end. The two slots 28 register with each other for at least a portion of their length and receive an upstanding pin 29 that is mounted on an actuating bar 30. The actuating bar 30 extends out through the slot 23 in the flange I2 and is provided at its front end with an upstanding toe engaging lug 3| similar in shapeto the toe clips 24.

Rigidly secured to the underside ,of the sole plate II, and extending downwardly therefrom,

is a U-shaped front bolster 66. The horizontal web of the bolster is provided with a depending boss 34. A metal plate 32 is secured to the boss 34 by a screw 33 and extends forwardly therefrom. The plate 32 cooperates with thesole plate II and flange I2 to partially house and protect the clip actuating mechanism pre- Viously described.

A rear bolster 36, also U-shaped, is attached to the under side of the heel plate support I6. Pivotally attached to the bolster 35 by pins 4|, is a triangular segment 46. The rear edge of the segment 40 is of arcuate shape and provided with teeth-49. Rigidly'secured to the upper edge I2 projects rearwardly from the sole plate I'I -of the segment 40 1s the front section 3B of"a- It consists of a flat heel plate 31. The heel plate 37 has a rear section 39 pivotally connected to the front section 38 by pins 42. At the rear corners of the rear section 39 are upstanding heel clips 43. The heel clips 43 are similar to the toe clips 24.

Extending transversely of the bolster 33 and projecting through the side walls thereof are two pins 44 and 45. The pin 44 is immovably mounted in the side walls of the bolster 36. The pin 45 is mounted in longitudinal slots 46 in the side walls of the bolster so as to be movable forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the bolster 35. Between the side walls of the bolster 36 is a U-shaped locking bar 47 which has a plurality of teeth 48 at its front edge cooperating with the teeth 49 on the sector 40. The vertical side walls of the locking bar 41 are each provided with a hole to receive the pin 45. A slot 50 is also provided in each side wall of the locking bar to receive the pin 44 and thereby permit longitudinal movement of the locking bar. A tension spring 715 connects the pins 44 and 45 and constantly urges them together, thus urging the locking bar forward also. Between the side walls of the locking bar 411 is a finger lever Finger lever 5i is U-shaped in cross-section and has openings adjacent the front ends of its side walls that receive the pin 44. The side walls of the finger lever 5! are cut away on an incline at 52 to form a cam which fits over and engages the front side of the pin 45. The rear end of the finger lever 55 projects through an opening 53 in the flange I! so as to be accessible to the operator.

The operation of the clamping mechanism will now be described. When the skate is put into use it is first adjusted to the approximate length of the wearers foot by loosening the wing nuts 2| and sliding the front and rear sections of the frame toward or away from each other to the desired position. The wing nuts are then tightened. The toe clips 24 are in their released position shown in Figure 2, and the heel plate is in the position shown in Figure '7. The user then inserts the toe of his shoe between the toe clips 24 and against the upstanding lug 3% on the actuating bar 39. Then when the heel is pushed downwardly against the heel plate 37 it rocks the front section 33 counter-clockwise and causes the rear section 39 to pivot clockwise about the pin 42. This causes the heel clips 43 to tilt forwardly about the rear edge of the section 39 and crowd the wearers foot ahead against the lug 3!. The forward movement of the lug 3! causes the actuating bar to pivot the links 26 toward each other and pull the toe clips 24 into firm engagement with the sides of the toe of the shoe.

The locking bar 4's automatically engages the teeth 49 on the sector 45 and latches the latter in its horizontal position. Thus, it will be seen that the shoe of the wearer is firmly engaged and held on the skate at five points by means of the two toe clips 24, the lug 3i and the two heel clips 43.

When it is desired to release the skate, pressure is applied in a downward direction upon the finger lever 5! causing the cam surface 52 to act against the pin 45, thereby forcing the locking'bar 47 to the rear. Rearward movement of the locking bar 4'! is permitted by the slots 46 and 5D and spring 15. The teeth 48 on the locking bar are disengaged from the teeth 49 on the sector 40 so that the heel plate can swing upwardly When the teeth 48 and 49 are disball races that receive ball bearings 69.

engaged it is merely necessary to lift the heel upwardly and pull the toe rearwardly from between the toe clips 24.

What may be termed the running gear of the skate will now be described. Welded to the side walls of the bolster 36 is the upper half 54 of a semi-circular bearing. One of the free ends of the bearing 54 has a slot 55 therein and the other end is provided with a threaded opening to receive a screw 56. The lower half 51 of the bearing has a rearwardly projecting lug 58 which is adapted to enter the slot 55 in the upper half of the bearing. The forward end of the half 51 has an opening to receive the screw 55. Between the two halves 54 and 5'! of the bearing is a rubber bushing 59. The bushing is mounted between the halves 54 and 51 of the bearing and held tightly therein by tightening the screw 55. The bushing 59 receives the enlarged and knurled central portion 60 of an axle 6|.

A pair of wheels 62 are mounted on the respective ends of the axle GI and held thereon by nuts 63.

Another axle 64 is mounted in a similar bushing 65 which in turn is mounted in a bearing 65 identical to that just described. The bearing is mounted between the side walls of a U-shaped yoke 67 rigidly attached to the bottom of the sole plate H.

The wheels 62 used on the skate are all identical and are best shown in Figure 8. Each wheel consists of a bushing 68 mounted on the axle and held thereon by the nuts 53.

The bushing 68 has a pair of axially separated A ball bearing cage Ill fits over the ball bearings 69 and holds them in place on the bushing 68. Preferably the cage 70 is made up of two parts of Z-shaped cross-section welded together at their adjacent edges. Centrally of the cage it] are circumferentially spaced radially extending apertures H, the purpose of which will appear presently.

The rim of the wheel is made up of two circular members 72 of channel shaped cross-section which are welded together at their outer peripheries. The inner axially extending walls of the U-shaped rim are spaced apart to receive the outer legs of the Z-shaped members 79.

Inside of the hollow Ilm formed by the two parts 12 is a mass of felt 13 which is saturated with oil. This felt 13 may be in the form of an annular ring, if desired.

As will be noted from Figure 8, the radially outer surface of the rim of the wheel is slightly crowned. Therefore, the contact between the wheels and the crown is at the axial center of the wheel and causes most of the wear to occur in that zone. As the wheel wears, the central part of the rim becomes thinner and tends to curl radially inwardly, thereby exerting pressure upon the felt 13. When pressure is exerted upon the oil saturated felt 13 the oil is squeezed out through the hole ll and into the ball bearing cage to lubricate the balls. This provides a selflubricating wheel that never needs oil.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides a novel mechanism which entirely eliminates the use of straps for holding the skate to the foot and which is easily and automatically attached and detached'from the wearers foot.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A skate comprising a sole plate, a pair of toe clips mounted on opposite sides of said sole plate for movement toward and away from each other, an actuating bar mounted on said sole plate for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto and having a toe engaging lug at its forward end, said actuating bar being connected to said toe clips to move the latter toward each other when said bar is moved forwardly.

2. A skate comprising a sole plate, a pair of toe clips, a pair of links, each of said links being pivotally connected to said sole plate and to one of said clips at spaced apart points, an actuating bar having a toe engaging lug at its front end mounted on said sole plate for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto, said actuating bar being connected to each of said links whereby to pivot the latter about their connections with said sole plate and move said toe clips toward each other when said bar is moved forwardly.

3. A skate comprising a frame, a heel plate,

said heel plate consisting of a front section pivotally connected to said frame on a transverse axis, and a rear section pivotally connected on a transverse axis adjacent its forward edge to the rear edge of the front section, both of said sections being movable to a horizontal position, a pair of upstanding heel clips adjacent the rear edge of said rear section, and releaseable locking means for holding said heel plate in a horizontal position relative to said frame.

4. A skate comprising a frame, a heel plate pivotally connected adjacent its forward edge to said frame and movable between inclined and horizontal positions, a locking bar slidably connected to said frame, means on said heel plate cooperating with said locking bar for holding said heel plate in its normal horizontal position, and a manually actuated cam connected to said frame for sliding said locking bar out of engagement with the cooperating means on the heel plate.

5. A skate comprising a frame, a sole plate thereon, a pair of toe clips mounted upon opposite sides of said sole plate for movement toward and away from each other, an actuating bar having an upstanding toe engaging lug at its front end mounted on said sole plate for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto, means connecting said actuating bar to said toe clips for moving the latter toward each other when said actuating bar is pushed forwardly, a heel plate having a portion thereof mountedon said frame for rocking movement about a transverse axis adjacent its rear edge between an inclined position and a horizontal position, a pair of upstanding heel clips at the rear of said heel plate, said heel clips being adapted to exert a force in a forward direction against a heel placed upon said heel plate when said heel plate is locked in its horizontal position, and cooperating means on said frame and said heel plate for releasably holding the latter in its horizontal position.

6. A skate comprising a frame, a heel plate, said heel plate consisting of a front section pivotally connected to said frame on a transverse axis adjacent its front edge, and a rear section pivotall connected on a transverse axis adjacent its front edge to the rear edge of the front section, both of said sections being movable to horizontal position, a pair of upstanding heel clips adjacent the rear edge of said rear section, a toothed sector rigidly connected to said front section and movable therewith, and toothed means mounted on said frame and cooperating with said sector for releaseably locking said heel plate in a horizontal position relative to said frame.

7. A skate comprising a frame, a sole plate thereon, a pair of toe clips mounted upon opposite sides of said sole plate for movement toward and away from each other, an actuating bar having an upstanding toe engaging lug at its front end mounted on said sole plate and movable relative to said frame in a longitudinal plane, means connecting said actuating bar to said toe clips for moving the latter toward each other when said actuating bar is moved forwardly, a heel plate, said heel plate consisting of a front section pivotally connected to said frame on a transverse axis adjacent its front edge, and a rear section pivotally connected on a transverse axis adjacent its front edge and the rear edge of the front section, both of said sections being movable to a horizontal position, a pair of upstanding heel clips adjacent the rear edge of said rear section, and releaseable locking means for holding said heel plate in a horizontal position relative to said frame.

HERBERT E. BRANNON. 

